Dec 20, 2013

ENG. So after three and a half years I am finally going back home to my hometown Cali. I haven't been able to sleep in a week I have been blaming it on the jet lag since last Saturday I was in New York City (for the Just Cavalli store opening), but the truth is that I am just excited to go home. You never know how much you have been missing it until you are very closed to it. I can smell the city, the fruits, see the mountains, the valley, taste the breeze... Hear the laughs... The Music:)It is beautiful to think how all my family and friends are packing right now and heading home and I also believe it is going to be the first time after many years that almost all the people I love are going to be in the same place, like old times... It just remains me of how blessed I am and makes me very happy to say: I coming home...

Dec 03, 2013

ENG. There are some moments in Italy, as well as some Italians, who have definitely marked part of my life living here. One of those people is Francesco Donadei. The period I got to know him in Milano was quite a beautiful one. Through him I met wonderful people that I will always take in my heart. This is why today when I was randomly walking in the center of Milano and wandering around the windows of Barclay, I was totally amazed when I saw his paintings. I immediately recognized the style and was sure it was him. It made me smile, not only because it was like seeing an old friend again, but also because the paintings are even more beautiful when you see them live.

Francesco Donadei is a talented Roman artist that through his paintings lets us explore his inner self with a symbolic and transcendental language. His passions are music and art; in my opinion a wonderful combination that can be clearly be admired in his paintings. His art is definitely influenced by his childhood, since he grew up around art with a grandfather who did restoration of prestigious art pieces, and his own father who taught art… In his paintings you can identify music instruments, like the elegance of the violin and the harp, as well as the woman's body which connects all of them together like a beautiful harmonious symphony…

So invite everybody who is in Milan to come and see his exhibit from December 5 on in Via del Mercanti in the flagship Premier from Barclays. Here is a small preview!

Nov 23, 2013

ENG. As some of you may have notice I haven't been writing lately... A close family member has been sick and this has affected me quite a lot.. When things like this happens it makes you think about everything in your life... What is really worth it, what you really value and what you really want out of this life... And you start appreciating more simple things like a call, a smile, a moment, a friend, a laugh, a song just like this one from pharrell... 24hours of happy... Here for you guys:)

http://24hoursofhappy.com

Oct 21, 2013

ENG. What does a buyer do? There is no standard answer for this. In short, all fashion buyers are responsible for selecting a range of products for a specific market. Some of the tasks that buyers go through in the process of selecting products are:

Identifying trends

Liaising with product suppliers

Presenting merchandising to colleagues

Calculating profit margins

Monitoring sales

Analyzing competitors

The buyer has to be familiar with the type of customer the company products are targeting. He or she has a crucial role of influencing what consumers choose to wear and play a large role on the profits from a retailer point of view.

So how about learning more about this amazing and dynamic job from an experienced buyer in the fashion industry? Jim Tu is a buyer manager in China for Versace. He brings a lot of experience from companies such as Dolce and Gabbana, Armani and now, Versace. Jim and I met in Milan while he was living here working for Armani and I can say he is not only a great friend and person, but also one of the best professionals I know in this industry. So I am very pleased to be able to share his knowledge with my readers. Enjoy the interview!

Name

Jim tu

Age

36 years old

What did you study?

I did a master in Milan the Mafed Master in Fashion Experience and Design.

Where do you work now?

I am based in Bejing but I travel a lot for the buyings in Milan

What is your work title?

Buying Manager for Versace China. I am in charge of the buying for the Versace boutiques in that market.

Did you always want to work in fashion?

Not really, when I was a kid I didn't know what I wanted to do... When I graduated from my undergrad I started to work in international trading/finance and then I realized I wanted to do something that I was very interested in, for me in this case it was fashion so I decided to study this so I could get into the business.

How did you get into the business?

First, I started by taking some fashion specialized courses, then I did my master in Italy. And then after my master I did some internships and then from there my fashion career started.

What was your first job in fashion?

My first job was doing reports and analyzing the business in Dolce and Gabbana.

What does a buyer does in general?

In simple words, the buyer has the job of selecting the merchandise for the market, and then he or she has to follow up the life cycle of the product from the finished goods, importation and most important, selling of the goods in the shops and also when it goes to the outlets. Apart from that, there are many varied jobs to be done. For example, product training, pricing, market study, competitor analyzes and also feedback to the headquarter of any merchandising you need in specific for your market.

What skills should a person have to do this job?

A buyer should know the product, should have the sensibility of the product and should have basic knowledge of the materials, the leather the fabric, the cutters... The buyer should know the market, should know the customer and what products they are buying. It should also have the vision to foresee the market trends. The buyer should also be able to understand the business, from analyzing the numbers to estimating demand.

What do you like and dislike about your job?

I like this job because it is fashion, I mean everybody loves fashion, there are fancy things in this industry, beautiful designs, fabrics and products and this is something that makes me enthusiastic about the industry. There are also changes every season, new trends, and people wearing the product you choose for your boutiques. This makes me feel happy because you make people look beautiful...

What I dislike about this job is that sometimes the products that you believe will be good sellers actually don't sell, and that makes you very frustrated because you have invested a lot of money on it. You’re not happy about this because it creates stock and you have to get rid of it.

Any advice for people who want to become buyers?

A buyer is not what you see in the tv shows or in a magazine, the one that wears high heels going to a fashion show, yes that is part of the life a buyer, but a buyer should be able to have the elements I told you about earlier and in the meantime he or she needs to be humble and study the market and the numbers to get better in the business.

What is fashion for you?

Well fashion changes every season. Fashion is more a trend than is perceived by most of the people, like the one everybody will like and wear the whole season.

From a buyers point of view fashion is those items that can be sold in this season or next season only.

Any life lesson you would like to share with my readers?

I started from international trading finance and then I got into fashion, so for anyone who is majoring in this or wants to change their career path, I think the most important is that you should have the passion for it. You really have to like it from your heart not because of the fancy things you see on tv or any project runway etc. You have to believe in yourself and you have to be persistent to enter in this industry.

Sep 10, 2013

ENG. So, this year I decided to take a Milanese vacanze (vacation), which meant I decided to go to Formentera. I wanted to know what the buzz was all about, since most Italians especially Milaneses always go there, and let's just say I was not disappointed at all. It is not a super cheap vacation like I thought it would be, since it is what I consider super "near", but anyhow the place is totally worth visiting. Formentera is a Spanish island right next to Ibiza. Definitely more relaxed than its sister Island but still super fun! For sure you will most likely hear Italian everywhere, for me it was like being in Miami and just speaking in Spanish and eating latin food. Some may love this some may hate it, but I find it quite interesting how a beautiful island like this has 90% Italian tourists. In my opinion, Italians do have good taste and know how to choose good things because the place is absolutely fabulous. So, for sure I advise everyone to go to this island 'cause it is definitely a bit of paradise on Earth.

Sep 02, 2013

ENG. Near my house there is a sign that says: when was the last time you did something for the first time? I have been passing that sign for the past month and it kept ticking in my mind... When was the last time I did something for the first time? I surely enjoy first times, that was one of the reasons I decided to come to Italy, to learn a new language. Every day for me in Italy was like a first time because every day I learned a new word, a new thing about the culture, etc. That is also the reason why I travel so much and had also promise myself to visit at least two new places each year, because the first time of something, even though it may be scary, is always exciting and can end up being a wonderful experience that you will always remember. So with that in mind I decided this summer to do something that for many of you is a given, but for me is a first time: I learned how to drive.

While I was in Formentera we rented the twizy’s cars from Renault. I must tell you this cars are not only good for the environment - they are electric - but are much better than a motorino since they are small enough to fit everywhere when there are limited parking options but big enough to carry all your stuff. My great friend Hugo taught me how to drive in the twizy (because he is just adorable) and he had the patience of guiding me through the process! Can't wait to practice more to finally get my car for Christmas!

Aug 31, 2013

ENG. So I have very exciting news to communicate to all my lovers in Colombia. From September on I will start teaching virtual classes for the LaSalle College in Bogota. I am very excited for this experience since it was something I wanted to do for a long time. For me it is very important to give back and share my knowledge of the fashion Industry to young people who are passionate about the business. I think the best way to do this is by teaching, which is something I really love and enjoy doing; it must be in the veins since all my aunts are teachers. I decided to teach because it is my experience that entering the RTW industry is not difficult IF you have the appropriate information of the business, such as who are the big players and which are the different career pathways you can follow. I have also realized that it is even better if this information comes from young industry professionals like me who can offer an up-to-date and insightful experience. Therefore, my lessons will provide young people access to valuable industry specific information which is not always easily available. So I am really looking forward to this new experience, in the past I had taught for Parsons University (the new school of design) in NYC my second home, but now that I have the opportunity to do it for a College in Colombia my country I am truly excited!

Aug 27, 2013

ENG. So, lately, I have been thinking about getting older, growing up and moving on and foward... Maybe it's because I have been going through the transition of changing houses after 6 years of living in the old one, the house where I lived alone for the first time. Also it may be that the new one is actually a grown up house and not a college student one. Or maybe it's just that I have been going through old stuff, throwing away old "memories" that don't fit the person I am anymore or add anything good to me... Keeping just the memories that have made me grow up even if they were not that nice, and getting new stuff; in the hope of making new memories, much better than the old ones because as you grow, you get wiser...

Transition and change always implies growing up, and getting to know yourself a bit better... To make crucial decisions hoping that in the long run they are going to be the best for you... To be more sure of what you want and what you don't want in your life... Change, and growing up, is not an easy thing to accept... I never thought about it but it hurts inside as your bones use to hurt as a kid. It happens slowly and you need to have a lot of patience... But at the end even though change and growing up is composed of different elements like fear, anxiety, excitement and happiness, all together like in a roller coaster, the expectation that a better woman is on the making and on the rise is much more motivating than getting off the ride to stop the change.

New life mottos!

Aug 19, 2013

ENG.Ulm is a small city in the south of Germany, known to be an economic center due to its various industries. It has the church with the tallest steeple in the world the gothic ulmer Munster, and I am a live proof of that since I climbed the 768 stairs to the top!

Albert Einstein was born in this city and for a person who loves fashion and craves beauty, as a good libra that I am, esthetically Ulm is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen, and trust me, I have seen a lot of them. So what are you waiting for? Go visit the city, it is totally worth it for a wonderful weekend.